Introduction

The health and safety of our employees, workers and customers is our top priority. Now that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available to everyone in America ages 5 and older, we want our employees to have trusted information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other public health sources to help them make the best decisions for themselves and their loved ones.

That’s why our company is participating in the Health Action Alliance, a national network of businesses and health experts that helps employers strengthen their response to COVID-19, support workers and create safer workplaces.
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WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MANAGERS TO DISCUSS COVID-19 VACCINES DURING AN UPCOMING TEAM MEETING, AND GUIDE A GROUP CONVERSATION USING THE INFORMATION BELOW.

NOTE: IF YOU HEAR RUMORS OR MISINFORMATION WE SHOULD ADDRESS, OR RECEIVE QUESTIONS YOU CAN’T ANSWER, YOU SHOULD CONTACT [NAME/TITLE/ CONTACT INFO] FOR SUPPORT.

Tips for a Conversation about COVID-19 Vaccines

1. Listen more than you talk. This is a conversation, not a debate. It’s not your job to convince people to get vaccinated. Rather, you’re sharing information to help them make their decision. Be positive, inviting and respectful. Acknowledge “the choice is yours to make with your doctor or healthcare provider.”
2. Lead with empathy. Respect people’s concerns and acknowledge that it’s ok for everyone—even you—to have questions about vaccines. Don’t talk down to people, lecture or make people feel guilty. Instead, be understanding, positive and hopeful. Listen for what’s holding people back then help them find their own reason to get vaccinated.
3. Facts about safety matter. Don’t just say “the science is solid.” Provide facts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines using the talking points provided below. Remember, you shouldn’t give medical advice, so encourage people with more advanced questions to talk with their doctor or healthcare provider. Finally, be sure to speak plainly and in a manner everyone will understand.
4. Emotions are important. Show how vaccinations can help us get back to the things we love, like connecting with others, spending time with family and friends, traveling and going to events. Some people may feel fear or mistrust. Others may be frustrated by the new variants or shifting public health guidance on masks. Listen for these feelings and share facts to help people work through their concerns and frustration.
5. Be inviting. As more people get vaccinated, ask them to share their stories with others. Hearing from someone who’s already been vaccinated is one of the best ways to put others at ease. Celebrate the people who have taken this step for their health and the health of others.
6. Be authentic. Share why getting vaccinated and why vaccines are important to you and your family.

Talking Points

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and they work.

1. There are multiple COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means the clinical evidence for the vaccines have met the agency's rigorous scientific standards and are considered to be safe and effective. They have been studied in clinical trials with large and diverse groups of people, of various ages, races and ethnicities.
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2. The FDA has given full approval to both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for adults ages 16 and older. Full FDA approval takes longer than Emergency Use Authorization because more data needs to be processed and reviewed over a longer period of time. When a product is fully approved by the FDA, patients can be assured that its recommendation is grounded in large amounts of scientific data.
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3. Vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19 without having to get sick or put yourself and others at risk of severe illness and death.
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4. Getting vaccinated is a much safer way to build protection than getting the disease. COVID-19 can have serious, long-term or life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you. And if you get infected, you could spread the disease to friends, family and others around you.
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5. Evidence is emerging that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated, compared with having had COVID-19. One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to get the virus again compared to people who are fully vaccinated.
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6. You may have some side effects after getting vaccinated. That’s a normal sign that your body is building protection—and they should go away within a few days. Your arm may be sore or swollen. You may also feel tired, have a headache, fever, or chills. This does not mean you have COVID-19—in fact, it’s not possible to get COVID-19 from vaccines.
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7. Vaccines are being administered by trained health professionals. Some people might be offered a vaccine that requires two doses, given several weeks apart, while other people might be offered a single-dose vaccine. It may take several weeks after vaccination for your body to be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
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8. For the strongest protection against the Omicron variant, federal health officials now recommend we keep our vaccinations up to date with a booster shot, which is recommended for all people ages 5 and older. The vaccines are still highly effective at preventing serious illness, but boosters restore the protection, even against mild cases, that wanes over time.
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9. A booster dose is available five months after receiving a second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, and two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. People aged 50 and over and any adult who received a Johnson & Johnson booster are recommended for a second booster shot 4 months after their previous one, as are certain immunocompromised people.
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10. Boosters show that medical experts are continuing to find ways to prolong protection through vaccines.
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11. If you are immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system, the CDC recommends that you receive a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to strengthen your protection against Delta. You should speak with your doctor or healthcare provider about whether a third vaccine dose and other precautions are right for you.

Vaccinations work best when we keep them up to date.

1. We get the strongest protection when we keep our vaccinations up to date with a booster shot, which is recommended for all people ages 12 and older.The vaccines are still highly effective at preventing serious illness, but boosters restore the protection, even against mild cases, that wanes over time.
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2. A booster dose is available five months after receiving a second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, and two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  
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3. Boosters show that medical experts are continuing to find ways to prolong protection through vaccines.
   
   
4. If you are immunocompromised or have a weakened immune system, the CDC recommends that you receive an additional dose, with timing and details depending on your age. You should speak with your doctor or healthcare provider about whether a third vaccine dose and other precautions are right for you.

I got vaccinated, and I hope you will too. Vaccines are important to me and my family because…

• COVID-19 vaccines can help us get back to the things we love.
• They help protect me and the people I love from getting COVID-19.
• They reduce hospitalizations and save lives.
• As more people get vaccinated, they’ll provide the safety and protection that will allow our economy to fully recover.
• We all want to protect our families, friends and loved ones. We want to get back to the moments we miss with our family and friends. Vaccinations can help us get back to many of the things we miss most, like spending time together, traveling and attending events.
• Here at [COMPANY], vaccines will help us [share why the company is motivated to protect its employees; tie this to your company’s mission.]

Vaccines are free and widely available.

• Everyone in the United States ages 5 and older is eligible to receive free COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of immigration status. You don’t need health insurance to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
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• Vaccines are widely available at more than 80,000 locations across the country, including at over 40,000 retail pharmacies. Ninety percent of Americans live within five miles of a vaccine site.
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• Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.
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• In order to protect yourself and prevent the spread, it’s important that you get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity.

My top priority is the health and safety of our staff, our families and our customers.  

• If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, stay home except to get medical care, separate yourself from other people and take other precautions to prevent the spread.
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• You should get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or have close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone with confirmed COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status.
• ​​Workers who are fully vaccinated and “boosted” should wear a well-fitted mask for 10 days following the date of exposure and get tested after 5 days.
• Workers who are not fully vaccinated or boosted should quarantine for at least 5 days, get a negative test before returning to work and wear a well-fitted mask for an additional 5 days.
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• The CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels offer the latest recommendations for masking, based on the local risks in our community. We will always support employees who wish to maintain the extra protection that wearing a mask provides.
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• Our workplace will (state your workplace policy, e.g. "continue to require masks and social distancing").
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• I’ll make sure you have the latest information about where to get vaccines. (Vaccines.gov can help you locate a vaccine site near you.)

[COMPANY] is committed to helping you get the facts about vaccines. We also want to make it easier for you to get vaccinated or take eligible children to get vaccinated. Here are some ways [COMPANY] is supporting you:

Note: Add here details about your company’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, including any paid time off or other incentives you’re offering to employees and workers who get vaccinated.  Below are best pratice examples:

• [COMPANY] will offer paid time off to any employee or worker who gets vaccinated. If you do experience side effects, I’ll offer paid leave to help you fully recover.
• [COMPANY] will offer paid time off to working parents that choose to vaccinate eligible children against COVID-19, including time to care for children recovering from potential side effects.
• [COMPANY] will reimburse your meals on the day(s) you get vaccinated, up to $[amount].
• [COMPANY] will reimburse you for child care expenses during your vaccine appointment(s), up to $[amount].

Conversation Starters

1. I thought we could start with a conversation about how everyone is feeling about COVID-19 vaccines, and what information you need to answer any questions. My role is to support you and help you get the answers you need.
2. Has anyone here gotten vaccinated and want to share their story?
3. Does anyone want to share how COVID-19 vaccines have helped them reconnect with family and friends, travel, attend events or take part in other activities?
4. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for you to get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity?
5. For those of you still deciding, I have some information to share, and then let’s talk through your questions. I won’t be able to answer them all, but I’ll do my best to make sure you know where to get answers.  
6. And if there are any questions I can’t answer, I encourage you to ask them to your doctor or another healthcare professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is normal to have questions.

• It’s normal to be cautious when something new comes along. Getting informed about COVID-19 vaccines is an important step to help us stop this pandemic.
• Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider. We all need to be comfortable with our decisions and your doctor can help
• OK...what questions do you have? (For answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, download our employee handout or visit GetVaccineAnswers.org.)

Resources for Employees

• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know (Also in Spanish.)
• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: Frequently Asked Questions (Also in Spanish.)
• Handout:  COVID-19 Vaccines: Myths & Facts (Also in Spanish.)
• Videos: Vaccines 101: An Educational Series
• Videos: The Conversation: Between Us, About Us
• Dealing with Pandemic Stress & Anxiety

Public health guidance on COVID-19 is constantly evolving. Health Action Alliance is committed to regularly updating our materials once we've engaged public health, business and communications experts about the implications of new guidance from the public health community and effective business strategies that align with public health goals.

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